Alcohol, Marijuana Fuel Half of All Young Driver Car Crash Deaths

Half of young drivers who died in crashes in nine states were under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or both at the time of the accident, a new study finds.

Researchers examined the deaths of nearly 7,200 drivers, aged 16-25, in crashes that occurred between 1999 and 2011 in California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Washington state and West Virginia.

Those states routinely conduct blood and urine tests of drivers who die in crashes.

More than 50 percent of the drivers tested positive for alcohol (36.8 percent), marijuana (5.9 percent) or both substances (7.6 percent). Those older than 21 were 14 percent more likely to test positive for alcohol, and slightly more likely to test positive for both alcohol and marijuana than those under the legal drinking age.

The study was published online Jan. 12 in the journal Injury Epidemiology.